1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention generally relate to pipe handling systems for handling a tubular pipe, and more particularly, to a pipe positioning apparatus operable with a pipe pick-up and lay-down system for use in wellbore operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional well completion operations, a wellbore is formed to access hydrocarbon-bearing formations by the use of drilling. In drilling operations, a drilling rig is supported by the subterranean formation and used to urge a drill string toward the formation. A rig floor of the drilling rig is the surface from which drilling strings with cutting structures, casing strings, and other supplies are lowered to form a subterranean wellbore lined with casing. A hole is formed in a portion of the rig floor above the desired location of the wellbore. The axis that runs through the center of the hole formed in the rig floor is the well center.
In the drilling of oil and gas wells, it is generally known to employ various types of tubular pipe. Such pipes include drill pipe, drill collars, production tubing, well casing, and riser pipe. Such pipe is delivered to the drilling rig, and laid in individual joints horizontally upon a pipe rack. In the case of land wells, the pipe is typically delivered by a flat-bed truck. For offshore drilling, the pipe is delivered by barge or on a large floating vessel.
In order to use the pipe on the drilling rig, it is necessary to transport the pipe from the pipe rack to the rig floor. However, picking up and laying down drill pipe, casing and other tubular goods presents certain hazards to personnel on the rig floor. In addition, the manual handling of pipe, even with the assistance of wirelines, creates a risk that the pipe threads may be damaged. These concerns are magnified by the ever-increasing height of rig floors necessitated by the drilling of deeper wells.
After the pipe is delivered to the V-door ramp of the rig floor using a pick-up and lay-down system, an elevator is attached to the top portion of the pipe to lift the pipe from the V-door ramp and to position the pipe above the well center. While the top portion of the pipe is lifted from the V-door ramp, the lower portion of the pipe is manually positioned above the well center. Because the lower end of the pipe is hanging freely and unsupported, this task often presents a hazard to the personnel on the rig floor as they try to maneuver the pipe to the well center. A rope is often used to guide the lower portion of the pipe to the well center.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a method and apparatus for an improved method and apparatus for positioning the pipe to the well center.